From food prep tent to full-on ice camping shelter, hubs do alot more than just fish these days.
My first hub shelter was actually a turkey hunting blind. I’ve been a fan of them ever since trying to sneak up on a turkey with a bow and arrow. Try as you may, without the perfect screening cover, even when the bird does exactly as you wish, rarely can you draw your bow and release an arrow. At least with fish you don’t have to worry much about concealment. I digress.
From an ice angling perspective, they’re better than the Double-Bull hunting blind I carried onto the ice nearly 20 years ago. For one, the fabric is better, and in most cases, completely insulated. It repels water rather than inviting it, and is custom designed for the ice experience. Many manufacturers have hub fabrics with sewn-in strap pockets, rod holders, and gear compartments; even overhead netting, holes to run a propane hose through, and reflective patches for easy avoidance on ice. Truly, a far cry from the basic hub-style hunting blinds of old.
They come in oversized bags for easy in-and-out, and ice-anchors are standard issue, rather than an add-on. Some modern ice fishing hubs even have ice-lock anchoring systems to keep your shelter glued to the ice in the fiercest winds, along with guide-wire-style straps on all corners to help do the same. Window systems stand up to the cold weather, to either view-through in search of a tip up flag, or remove completely during nice weather or to vent.
Ice anglers have flocked to them in droves for the amazing space they afford an angler, both while inside-of and fishing, as well as when packed away in the bed of a truck or car-trunk. Which makes them nice for an after-work fish, as they don’t take up much room. It also makes them nice to drag out in a sled, with or without an ATV or snowmobile. You can use them to sit on a pod of basin crappies, or put it up shallow and use as a spear-shack because you can effectively seal up the windows and prevent light from getting in. Did I mention they were lightweight and rather cost effective? Both points make them increasingly popular across the ice belt.
Yet, with all of these ice-specific advances, it’s amazing how versatile hubs really are outside of ice fishing. Personally speaking, even when towing my wheelhouse, I’m never without a hub shelter, as there are simply dozens of use-cases. In the few years I’ve used them in tandem, the hub shelter has been a scout house, card-room, kids escape from the grownups, adults escape from the kids, and so much more.
I’ve cleaned and cooked fish inside of a hub on ice as well, which is a godsend when you don’t want a cooked oil smell inside the wheelhouse, yet it’s too cold or windy outside to effectively cook. Lots of people comment on using them as an out-house, which is a logical use, but if that’s all its there for, you’re missing out on several ways to get the most out of these things.
In extreme cold, it’s the perfect place to start a heater and thaw all kinds of items. From frozen generators, gloves, hats, and facemasks, all the way to frozen tanks of propane. It’s also a place to run a tip-up when exceedingly cold, provided you have an alarm or flashing bite indicator. I mentioned generators, and as it turns out, a hub is the perfect place to run your generator overnight in extreme temperatures. Exhaust can ice-up and freeze-out your overnight power source if out in the open, but with a slight venting, the heat from the engine and exhaust allows your generator to run all night without ever skipping a beat.
Perhaps the fastest growing use-case for hub shelters is winter camping. A quick search on the internet, and you’ll find Facebook groups devoted to it. There’s great advice out there on how to add portable flooring, cots, and other camping comforts to make your experience that much better. Just like with fishing, they’re easy to pack-in, extremely spacious and warm given their insulation, and again, very cost-effective considering what you get for your money. Effectively, it’s a winter-tent that sets up quickly and can be used in tent-sites and hunting camps alike. Which is exactly what I’m seeing more of when I look at photos of out-west elk outposts, spring turkey hunting camps, or fall bowhunting setups.
I’ve seen them used as ice-rink warming houses, and even on sidelines of high-school football games. I’m continually amazed to see the varied ways people use these while fishing and doing a host of other activities. I’ve steered friends away from much more expensive ice shelter purchases, because a hub may fit their needs better. You just might find that like them, you use it as much for other things as you do the fishing.
Whether fishing or not, my kids like just having a shelter to themselves. It’s their place for time away from the grown ups.